NOVEMBER 2013 VOLUME 55 STORM DATA NUMBER 11 AND UNUSUAL WEATHER PHENOMENA WITH LATE REPORTS AND CORRECTIONS NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION noaa NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL SATELLITE, DATA AND INFORMATION SERVICE NATIONAL CLIMATIC DATA CENTER, ASHEVILLE, NC Cover: This cover represents a few weather conditions such as snow, hurricanes, tornadoes, heavy rain and flooding that may occur in any given location any month of the year. (Photos courtesy of NCDC) TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Storm Data and Unusual Weather……………………………………………………………………..3 Additions/Corrections………………………………...…………………………………………….191 Reference Notes…………………………………………………………………………………....285 STORM DATA (ISSN 0039-1972) National Climatic Data Center Editor: Rhonda Herndon STORM DATA is prepared, and distributed by the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC), National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Service (NESDIS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The Storm Data and Unusual Weather Phenomena narratives and Hurricane/Tropical Storm summaries are prepared by the National Weather Service. Monthly and annual statistics and summaries of tornado and lightning events resulting in deaths, injuries, and damage are compiled by the National Climatic Data Center and the National Weather Service’s (NWS) Storm Prediction Center. STORM DATA contains all confirmed information on storms available to our staff at the time of publication. Late reports and corrections will be printed in each edition. Except for limited editing to correct grammatical errors, the data in Storm Data are published as received. Note: “None Reported” means that no severe weather occurred and “Not Received” means that no reports were received for this region at the time of printing. Subscription, pricing, and ordering information is available from: NOAA \ National Climatic Data Center Attn: User Engagement & Services Branch 151 Patton Avenue Asheville, NC 28801-5001 (828) 271-4800, option 2 (Customer Services) Storm Data National Climatic Data Center 151 Patton Avenue Asheville, NC 28801-5001 e-mail: [email protected] Any such items received by the editor will be for use in STORM DATA only. Any other use will be with the permission of the owner of said items. Materials will be returned if requested. This is an official publication of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and is compiled from information received at the National Climatic Data Center Asheville, North Carolina 28801-5001. Thomas R. Karl Director, National Climatic Data Center 2 Time Path Path Number of Estimated November 2013 Local/ Length Width Persons Damage Location Date Standard (Miles) (Yards) Killed Injured Property Crops Character of Storm ALABAMA, North ALZ006 Madison 12 1500CST 1700CST 0 0 1.0K 0.00K Strong Wind North winds gusted from 30 to 40 mph behind an Arctic cold front during the afternoon hours of the 12th. A tree was blown down onto power lines in northwest Huntsville causing a brief power outage. ALASKA, Northern AKZ207-213 Chukchi Sea Coast - St Lawrence Island Bering Strait 06 0916AKS 07 1956AKS 0 0 0.00K 0.00K High Wind A 951 mb low moved north over the central Bering Sea on the 6th and over the Chukotsk Peninsula on the 7th and began to weaken. This system brought high winds to a few locations over western Alaska. Zone 213: the AWOS at Gambell reported a peak gust of 54 kt (62 mph) early on the 6th and the AWOS at Wales reported a peak gust of 55 kt (63 mph) during the early afternoon on the 7th. Zone 207: the AWOS at Point Hope reported a peak gust of 58 kt (67 mph) overnight on the 6th and early morning of the 7th. AKZ203-204 Central Beaufort Sea Coast - Eastern Beaufort Sea Coast 19 1200AKS 0127AKS 0 0 0.00K 0.00K Blizzard A 998 mb low near Banks Island by 1000AKST on the 19th coupled with a strong 1038 mb high pressure center over the Chukchi Sea created a strong pressure gradient, providing strong winds and blizzard conditions along the eastern north slope during the afternoon of the 19th. Zone 203: Blizzard conditions were observed at Deadhorse from approximately 1200AKST through 1600AKST on the 19th. The visibility was reduced to one quarter mile or less in snow and blowing snow. There was a peak wind gust of 31 kt (36 mph) at the Deadhorse ASOS. Zone 204: Blizzard conditions were observed at Barter Island from approximately 1200AKST through 1600AKST on the 19th. The visibility was reduced to one quarter mile or less in snow and blowing snow. There was a peak wind gust of 52 kt (60 mph) at the Barter Island AWOS. AKZ223 Deltana and Tanana 21 2300AKS 22 0343AKS 0 0 0.00K 0.00K High Wind A 1044 mb high pressure over western Canada coupled with a low pressure center of 984 mb in the northern Gulf of Alaska produced a strong wind belt along the Tanana River from Dot Lake to west of Delta Junction. The strongest winds were measured near the Delta Junction during the late evening of the 21st and early morning of the 22nd where the highest gust was 64 kt (74 mph). ALASKA, Southeast AKZ025 Juneau Borough and Northern Admiralty Island 16 2328AKS 18 0427AKS 0 0 0.00K 0.00K High Wind This was the first cold air outbreak with high outflow winds coming out of Taku Inlet and Lynn Canal. A moderate low pressure system was over the Southern Panhandle as a strong ridge of high pressure build over the Northern Yukon on 11/17. Peak wind for several locations in Downtown Juneau and southeastern Gastineau Channel ranged between 55 to 86 MPH into the early morning hours on 11/18. No damage was reported. Strong wind to 45 MPH persisted into 11/19. AKZ023 Cape Decision to Salisbury Sound Coastal Area 20 1315AKS 21 0600AKS 0 0 0.00K 0.00K Winter Storm 3 Time Path Path Number of Estimated November 2013 Local/ Length Width Persons Damage Location Date Standard (Miles) (Yards) Killed Injured Property Crops Character of Storm ALASKA, Southeast AKZ017-020>022- Astern Baranof Island and Southern Admiralty Island - Cape Fairweather to Cape Suckling Coastal Area 024>026-029 - Eastern Chichagof Island - Glacier Bay - Inner Channels from Kupreanof Island to Etolin Island - Juneau Borough and Northern Admiralty Island - Misty Fjords - Salisbury Sound to Cape Fairweather Coastal Area 21 0000AKS 22 0600AKS 0 0 1.0K 0.00K Winter Storm Arctic air had persisted over SE Alaska for nearly a week when the flow aloft changed to SW and warm moist air began to lift over the Panhandle on 11/21. The arctic front was pushed slowly northward on 11/21 through 11/22 which became the focus of heavy snow. As the snow changed to rain, precipitation became freezing rain in a few locations. Strong winds began on the 11/22 though 11/23 with a switch over to rain. Temperatures warmed rapidly causing the snow pack to become very difficult to manage. This storm was notable in that the snowfall, freezing rain, and wind problems were widespread. AKZ018-019 Haines Borough and Lynn Canal - Taiya Inlet and Klondike Highway 27 1200AKS 28 0500AKS 0 0 0.00K 0.00K Winter Storm A series of weak low pressure systems persisted just off the coast in the Eastern Gulf while the wind aloft became south over the northern part of Lynn Canal. Cold air had settled into this area and the south flow aloft had plenty of moisture for a snow event just in time to impede traffic on the holiday weekend. Higher elevations had more snow than near sea level. Snow amounts: Haines Customs = 5.5 inches White Pass = 8 inches (roadobs) Skagway Customs = 2inches Haines Junction got 7 cm Fraser got 8 cm. ALASKA, Southern AKZ187-191 Central Aleutians - Western Aleutians 05 1235AKS 1600AKS 0 0 0.00K 0.00K High Wind AKZ195 Pribilof Islands 06 0015AKS 0500AKS 0 0 0.00K 0.00K High Wind A large intense Bering Sea storm produced strong wind across the Aleutian Islands to the Pribilof Islands. The strongest measured wind was 70 KT at Adak. AKZ155 Kuskokwim Delta 06 1600AKS 09 1800AKS 0 0 0.00K 0.00K Coastal Flood An intense and large storm in the Bering Sea produced a long fetch of strong wind across the Bering Sea aligned with the Kuskokwim Delta coast November 6th through the 9th. This produced a surge of up to 5 feet along the Kuskokwim Delta Coast. AKZ131 Northeastern Prince William Sound 11 0700AKS 12 0300AKS 0 0 0.00K 0.00K Blizzard A storm over the northern Gulf of Alaska pushed moisture over the arctic front into the Chugach Mountains. This resulted in over two and a half feet of snow in the mountains. Strong high pressure over interior Alaska produced the typical strong outflow winds through the passes of the coastal mountains. The combination of the snow and wind resulted in a blizzard through Thompson Pass. AKZ145 Susitna Valley 20 2300AKS 21 2100AKS 0 0 0.00K 0.00K Heavy Snow 4 Time Path Path Number of Estimated November 2013 Local/ Length Width Persons Damage Location Date Standard (Miles) (Yards) Killed Injured Property Crops Character of Storm ALASKA, Southern AKZ161 Bristol Bay 21 1600AKS 22 0400AKS 0 0 0.00K 0.00K Heavy Snow AKZ131 Northeastern Prince William Sound 21 2100AKS 23 0030AKS 0 0 0.00K 0.00K Blizzard AKZ101-111 Anchorage Muni to Bird Creek - Matanuska Valley 22 0900AKS 1200AKS 0 0 60.0K 0.00K Ice Storm A strong North Pacific storm moved into the Gulf of Alaska November 21st pushing copious moisture and warm air aloft over the southern mainland of Alaska. This storm produced snow and blowing snow across the Chugach Mountains, freezing rain over the Kenai Peninsula to the southern Susitna Valley, and areas of snow and freezing rain across southwest Alaska.